Selecting For Success and Reaching the Poorest: MCA Eligibility Criteria Can Do Both

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Nancy Birdsall

10/28/2002

One of the founding principles of the MCA is that it selects partner countries based on their performance relative to their income-level peers. This paper shows that the MCA idea of country eligibility has merit, and maintains that the application of eligibility criteria may not be as restrictive as some fear. The author addresses three of the frequently asked questions about the effects of the application of selection criteria for determining eligibility for the MCA:

  1. Will a reasonable number of poor countries meet the criteria for ruling justly, investing in people and fostering economic freedom?
  2. Will the eligible countries really be able to absorb (use effectively) the amount of money that they might receive under the MCA?
  3. Will an MCA that focuses on "good performers" discourage and exclude other needy countries?

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